Editorial guide · By people who live here
A weekend in Alicante
Where we eat, where we have our vermouth, which beach we pick on a Sunday.
Where we eat. Where we have our vermouth. Which beach we pick on a Sunday depending on the day. What costs more than it should and what is worth it. The guide is written by people who go out to dinner and the next morning walk up the castle hill without a guide.
Where to eat in Alicante
Restaurants, tapas and breakfast in the city centre. Sorted by time of day and by budget.
Where to drink in Alicante
Afternoon beers, midday vermouth, the last drink when nobody is ordering anything odd anymore.
The beaches of Alicante
Not all beaches are the same. We sort them by what each one is good for.
What to see in Alicante
Two columns: what is worth it and what is overrated.
Alicante what's on
The big dates of the year. When the noise comes and when it is a good time.
A weekend in Alicante
Itineraries built for 48 hours. Alternatives if it rains, whoever you come with.
If you come for exactly 48 hours
We made an hour-by-hour itinerary, from Friday at 19:47 to Sunday at 18:00, with addresses, prices and alternatives if it rains.
Pillar article · 12 min read
Alicante in 48 hours, hour by hour
Friday, 19:47. You have just landed. You have forty-eight hours. This is how we use them: dinner, a night-time stroll, the market, rice, the castle, sunset, the beach, brunch and home. With addresses, prices and a plan B if it rains.
Most read
Rice, in Alicante, is serious business
A banda, del senyoret, with costra, with lobster. And the paella, which here is not the same as in Valencia.
Neighbourhood tapas
Four stops, one evening, fifteen euros a head. Five if you order just one beer per place.
Breakfast like a local
Five minutes from the guesthouse there are five places where the neighbourhood has breakfast. Here they are, in order.
Postiguet beach
Twelve minutes on foot. It is the city-centre beach, with all the good and bad of being the city-centre beach.
San Juan, the other beach
Three kilometres of fine sand, thirty minutes on the TRAM. What you lose in proximity you gain in space.
A day on Tabarca
Boat, island, caldero (fisherman’s rice stew), back. The day trip from Alicante. Real timetables, prices, what to bring.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Alicante for a weekend?
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For a weekend in Alicante you should eat rice one day, walk up to Santa Bárbara Castle at sunset, have an aperitif on Calle Castaños or near the Explanada, and head down to Postiguet beach even if only to dip your feet. If you want an hour-by-hour itinerary, we have a 48-hour one.
Is Alicante safe?
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Yes. It is a small Mediterranean city with the usual summer-tourism issues (pickpockets in crowded spots). The city centre and the neighbourhoods we recommend walking through are safe at any hour.
When is the best time to come?
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May, June and September are the perfect months: 25-28°C, sun, a swim in the sea without the crowds. In July and August the city fills up (prices rise). October to March is lovely but cooler; even so, few days drop below 14°C.
How many days do you need to see Alicante?
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Two well-planned days cover the centre, the castle, the Explanada, two good meals and an afternoon at the beach. If you want to add Tabarca or San Juan, add a day. Four days is enough time to discover less touristy neighbourhoods.
Is Alicante for couples, families or friends?
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It works for all three. For couples, the tapas crawl and the sunsets from the castle. For families, the city beaches and the Mercado Central. For groups of friends, the neighbourhood tapas and the bar scene on Calle Castaños and around.